It’s another day. Yay! Does not sound too over-joyous? Is the “joy” in that statement?
We tend to take “tomorrow” as a given. We all set our alarms the night before to wake up the morning after, to get ready for school, work, or some morning activity. O.k. o.k., not all of us.. well most of us do.
I seem to be making a lot of typo errors with clikity-claketing (spelling correct 😁), and all the other sounds that are coming out of my Logitech MX Mechanical as I thump on the keys, typing out wortds, (there I go again: it is “words”), sentences, paragraphs and this essay that I am working on right now.
Molst (there it goes again: the word is “most”) of the time, I get on the keyboard and start typing away from memory. I do refer to some notes (whenever I have something jotted d0own[down]).
What is really important is how we receive each day, what we do with it and do we look back at the end of each day with gratefulness?
As I am living my next 65 years (from July 10th 2023), I look at life with vigor. I try not to take anything for grant6ed (“granted”. It’s not my mistake, it’s the keyboard. Haha. If we can’t have fun now, then, when can we?).
One of the livings of life that we enjoy is when we have a family meal together. Our “big” family of three, yes the number is right : 3; can be quite a task getting together.
Our gewtting (it’s “getting” la [with a bit of “a”? Malaysian slang]) together at most times is quality time. What meal we have is not as important as having that bit of quality time. Quality time means, our smartphones are smart enough not to interrupt our family time. It is not that the phones are never used. It is just that we are not staring at the screen while having a conversation.
This time round, it was a morning breakfast at the Scottish restaurant, McD’s. McD’s does serve up a pretty cool breakfast.
All our meals came with hashbrowns.
I had a coffee from their McCafe counter, Laura had an iced milo and Jeannie and iced tea to go with our food.
Mine was a sausage McMuffin.
Jeannie and Laura do most of the talking as I like to listen to their daily happenings and plans. I find it very interesting. What may seem ordinary to the person, can be interesting to others. The smiles that come about, the noticeable distinct sparkle in the eye when a happy moment, thought or memory comes up.
Jeannie and Laura, both; had an egg and chicken muffin.
Jeannie and Laura are my Number 1 supporters for me to have my book published. It is coming. I am as excited as they are. The manuscript is taking shape. I have to organize a dedicated time space each day to work on the book. Once that is in place, there will be a fixed momentum with an ETP (Expected Time of Publication) on trhe (“the”… another MX mechanical typo?) calendar.
Picture taken by Laura with the Samsung S23 Ultra. It was a quick frame and shoot picture. She always seems to get the better angles.
Our breakfast was for about an hour. Needless to say, it was really good. Family time is good time – always.
NOTES: Just having fun with the Logitech MX Mechanical keyboard. It is the best keyboard I have had so far. I am enjoying the use of it. I can see that it is going to be with me for a long time to come.
It is intensely amazing to see how light reflects off from one source. It is intensely amazing how colours play an important role in our lives.
In the pictures below, the yellow represents life. That is a constant. Life does not change. The drops of water represents people, us, you and me. The different sizes just means that people come in all shapes, sizes – it does not matter. People are people – standard. One source of light reflects on all of us, in different ways, intensity and size.
What happens when those drop of water moves. They change their shape and may have a larger or smaller area now, which could also mean their area which they reflect the light from them and the intensity, could change. Sometimes, it becomes dark. Or, they could become more even in size. One thing remains constant – life (The yellow).
When we connect Life with time; we will all have a story. Life need time to live; and time needs life to have life.
A light reflection from one source creates many “lightbulbs” of all shapes and sizes. These lightbulbs represent, us – people.The “yellow” represents life. We are alive. We are life.Depending on which angle or way we look at it, the millions of light sources may change shape, look smaller or look bigger. What does not change is LIFE.Life continues. No matter what. Do we want to be a part of it?
It is amazing to think that the next moment ahead of us IS THE FUTURE. That is a fact. When that moment comes / arrives; it is the present. After that it is gone – the past.
We have to constantly and consistently plan for the future because the future which began with the moment ahead of us, keeps changing, keeps evolving. That future becomes the present. When it comes, live it. Enjoy it, savour it. For it soon becomes the past. Many people spend most of their time living in the past.
Throughout these three stages of time is life. Life does not come with an instruction manual. Life in general, is constant. We get connected with life, live it, enjoy it. Many have difficult times. Then our time is up.
The key here is living life, which would entail giving of oneself to others. The interesting part is not expecting anything back in return.
The reflection of light on the drops of water (which represent us as people) on the glass, is not going to grow much; meaning if we don’t share it with others who are out of the angle of light. If we decide to share the light we have with others, the number of people shining this light which represents “Life”, grows. Our world becomes a brighter place. The reflection of our light somehow becomes brighter than before. Sharing our light of life in no way diminishes the light that we have.
Life does not depend on us. We, as people; depend on life. How we make it out to be, depends on us. We are the light.
What is LOVE? That is the question. Do we know it? Do we know it if we see it? Or hear it? Smell it? What is the intensity of love? Is love permanent? Can it be permanent? All simple, yet very tough questions.
If LOVE is a colour or has a colour linked to it, then it will be a wide spectrum of shades of that colour because love is universal or it is understood to be that, and is expected to be just that or maybe more; the very core of its meaning is to care for somebody or something else other than his or her own self. Then, there is that saying, “You have to love yourself first before you can love others”.
The wide spectrum of shades of colour of LOVE means that different people show love, give love, receive love differently from everybody else, yet the results are the same : the recipient is happy or is supposed to be happy.
Is LOVE a feeling? Can we base LOVE on feelings? “Feelings come, feelings go”, said Catholic priest Rev. Fr. Jojo Fung, SJ; in one of his sermons at mass in 1991. Feelings ride on mood swings. Feelings can be a whim.
Is there true LOVE? True love is a unique and passionate bond that connects you, that wants the best for the other person regardless of what that means for them. It is the foundation for a healthy, loving relationship. True love is authentic and genuine.
LOVE is a decision. It is concrete. You have to make a conscious decision to LOVE. Then, it can lead to everlasting LOVE.
The definition of everlasting love refers to a type of love that endures and lasts for a lifetime and beyond. It is a deep, enduring, and unwavering love that surpasses time and challenges. Is it possible to achieve everlasting love? Can it be a reality? Or is it only for the dreamers? It is a matter of perspective.
There may be hiccups in this LOVE relationship along the way. The journey can be quite bumpy or very bumpy. If you make an unequivocal decision to love, a decision to give without expecting anything back in return; then, it might just work. This everlasting LOVE.
Is LOVE a barter trade? Do we give LOVE in order to get love? Or do we get LOVE in order to give love? It is a choice we make. A choice we have to make. For many people, that choice can be fluid. It depends on the circumstances, life’s environment around then.
The decision to LOVE is personal. The underlining fact is that it is your decision.
NOTES: It is Friday. I thought I’d write on something off main stream for me. I started off with a one line quote. Then, I added on a couple more lines. Then, more questions are raised. What have I got myself into? I did not want to research on LOVE for fear that it would become too much head knowledge instead of knowledge by experience – what is around us and how we see it…how I see it.
It’s Sunday, 2.24am (GMT +8 hours). Time is moving so fast that it does not seem like it’s about to slow down anytime soon.
Or have we been shortchanged? Are we getting a full day or or 24 hours or 1,440 minutes or 86,400 seconds? Or has second lost perhaps a 1,000 of second, thus ultimately making each day shorter?
24 hours being the standard size of day is something we all equally have. Most of us don’t have to worry about how to fill our days up. What we fret about more is how little time we have to do all those things we have to do or plan to do. When somehow, the magic of modern technology helps us in our daily lives and helps organise our time, freeing us to have some free time in each day. Some have half hour, some an hour, others may be fortunate enough to perhaps get a couple of hours; that they never had in a very long, long time, now they’ve got it.
Then, you will hear this somewhat common phrase, “no choice”. That cannot be further from the truth than it already is. Everything we do or not do, is a choice. Most people omit that “not doing anything” is a choice. In fact, making a choice is a choice in itself.
We all have a past. We’ve made choices that maybe weren’t the best ones. None of us are completely innocent.
We all get a fresh start each and everyday to be a better person than we were yesterday. We have to work towards that.
So, yeah, life is tough. No one said it was going to be easy. Welcome to the real world.
Then I came across this news on the net:
“
[Zoraya ter Beek, 28, expects to be euthanized in early May.
Her plan, she said, is to be cremated.
Ter Beek, who lives in a little Dutch town near the German border, once had ambitions to become a psychiatrist, but she was never able to muster the will to finish school or start a career. She said she was hobbled by her depression and autism and borderline personality disorder. Now she was tired of living—despite, she said, being in love with her boyfriend, a 40-year-old IT programmer, and living in a nice house with their two cats.
She recalled her psychiatrist telling her that they had tried everything, that “there’s nothing more we can do for you. It’s never gonna get any better.”
At that point, she said, she decided to die. “I was always very clear that if it doesn’t get better, I can’t do this anymore.”
“I’m a little afraid of dying, because it’s the ultimate unknown,” she said. “We don’t really know what’s next—or is there nothing? That’s the scary part.”
Zoraya ter Beek. (Ilvy Njiokiktjien for The Free Press)
Ter Beek is one of a growing number of people across the West choosing to end their lives rather than live in pain. Pain that, in many cases, can be treated.
Typically, when we think of people who are considering assisted suicide, we think of people facing terminal illness. But this new group is suffering from other syndromes—depression or anxiety exacerbated, they say, by economic uncertainty, the climate, social media, and a seemingly limitless array of fears and disappointments.
“I’m seeing euthanasia as some sort of acceptable option brought to the table by physicians, by psychiatrists, when previously it was the ultimate last resort,” Stef Groenewoud, a healthcare ethicist at Theological University Kampen, in the Netherlands, told me. “I see the phenomenon especially in people with psychiatric diseases, and especially young people with psychiatric disorders, where the healthcare professional seems to give up on them more easily than before.”
Ter Beek’s medical necklace says ‘Do not resuscitate.’ (Ilvy Njiokiktjien for The Free Press)
In 2001, the Netherlands became the first country in the world to make euthanasia legal. Since then, the number of people who increasingly choose to die is startling.
By Rupa Subramanya, The Free Press, April 1, 2024]
From the onset, I do not want to judge, only question her decision. Why sell out on life so easily? Why give up what others are fighting to have, even if it is for one more day?
I cannot begin to even know how Zoraya feels. From the write-up above, it seems that she has based her decision on how she feels, her mental health.
The statement that her psychiatrist made “that there was nothing else that could be done for her” is very surprising. I think that she should seek help from another or other psychiatrists.
Her environment. The people in her circle, her city – they could have all had an influence on her. I believe that she has not explored all options that could be available to her. She has to check those options out.
Zoraya may be all alone (and she possibly feels that) in her quest to find the right answers to her questions. She may not get all answers right or the answers that she is looking for but she should never give up on looking for answers. Over time, the answers she may get get could evolve to better answers.
Now, it is no longer just about a person suffering from a life threatening terminal illness, a person who can’t live with the physical pain from the illness, a person who is brain dead (a vegetable)… It’s, “I don’t feel like living anymore”.
“Call the executioner. He or she makes house calls.” They aren’t doctors. Doctors are meant to save lives, not snuff them out. I wonder if what they are doing is from the bottom of their hearts, for humanity, to preserve humanity by killing them. Are these executioners doing it for free or do they charge a pretty penny?
She wears a medical necklace that says, “DO NOT RESUCITATE”. Which normal person who sees a person collapse in a public place, is going to stand by and not do anything? Even if he or she has read the message on her necklace? They won’t want to be party to any suicidal act.
People are literally fighting to have a moment extra in life.
Life is not a thing. It is a passage that is fluid. We just need to see how beautiful it is. Even in our darkest of times, we need to embrace this platform, this stage, if you may; to do our dance, our act from the time the curtains go up when we are born to the time they come down when our time is up. Nobody can perform your life’s performance better than you.
Giving up so easily on life. Life does not give up on you so easily.
Zoraya Ter Beek looks like a nice lady. I hope that people in and around The Netherlands can reach out to her and convince her to catch that twinkle of life. I do hope that readers of Leatherpotato.com from over 80 countries will encourage Zoraya to give herself another chance.
21st Century. To be more precise, 30th March, 2024.
Being Roman Catholic, I observed, attended and participated in the Way of the Cross and Good Friday service. This was one of those times when I was deeply engrossed in the 14 stations; not merely a participant or spectator.
I have begun writing or to be more precise, thumb-tapping on my Fold 5, this article in church. No, this is not Friday (the same day). It is the day after, Saturday.
It was not just raining, or pouring cats, dogs and hippopotamuses; the rains of the whole world seemed to have concentrated in this small area (what drama!). We had to drive through floods of about 8 inches to 10 inches high. We got almost to the front gates of the church, and double-parked. Not unusual, as parking is scarce (what you will more commonly hear is “parking is so limited”). There was already a second line of cars, double-parked; and I just followed the guy right in front of me. As if this was the end of our rain problems.
A fast flowing stream of water was rushing to get to the other side. Why? I don’t know. This fast moving stream of water on the side of the road at the entrances of the church, was about 3 to 4 inches deep and about 6 feet wide. There was no way anyone was going to hop across this stream without stepping in it unless one was a long distance jumper athlete. Picture this: everyone in their Sunday’s best (in this case, it is Saturday), trying to avoid this fast moving stream, by gently tippy-toeing or wading through, hopping or skipping across it. And failing miserably. To add more colour to this scene: they were holding umbrellas, too. Those sharing umbrellas, were trying to rehearse their “1-2-3-Go” crossing on the spot. All without success. I managed to skip across with a couple of steps. And that was just getting into church!
So, yes; I am sitting in the pew with my wife, Jeannie; and her mother; about an hour before the Easter Vigil mass starts. As we settled in, I begin thinking about the Good Friday service yesterday. I pictured myself at the scene of Jesus’ crucifixion. And I wonder. What happened in the three days from Friday of the crucifixion, right through “He has risen”?
I am not a theologian or historian. However, because I have written on many subjects of interest, and have done some research whenever I could; I have become more inquisitive. To every answer, I seem to have more questions to ask. In this essay, I wondered what went through the minds of people. I am not attempting to give a historical account as it has already been written. What I am attempting is to try and understand the period from the time that Jesus was laid in the tomb to the time of His resurrection.
There were four sets of people: The first was Jesus, His mother, His dear friends and followers. The second was the lynch mob, most of them herd-followers for sure. The third set of people were the soldiers. The fourth set were the two criminals who hung on crosses, on the left and right of Jesus.
I would presume that the lynch mob and the soldiers would have dispersed after the show of Jesus’ death was over. The two criminals would have died, at one point, too.
I would like to focus on His mother, His dear friends and followers. These were the people who were asked to believe. They did not have someone to tell them, 3 days later; this happened. They were in the presence, the now of Jesus’ death. He told them that He would rise again. Mother Mary, in the moments of deepest pain and anguish; I believe, she knew without a doubt, that He would. What about the others? They were humans.
There were no computers, calculators or other forms of proof that He would surely rise. What were going through their minds? 3 days at that point of time must have been like 30 years. How do you believe in someone who has just died in front of your own eyes? The person whom you have spent the last few years, giving your all to His cause?
The test of time. It must have been darkness throughout those 3 days. Awaiting the Resurrection.
NOTES: In this article, I do not attempt to alter what has been written. I do not attempt to challenge it too, as I am not qualified and do not have any form of in-depth explanation. I try to put myself in the scenes of those times, and understand how ordinary folk of that time experienced their lives.
I had one of those moments, you know, those moments when I wanted to do something out of the ordinary. Some of you who know me would say that if I did something ordinary; that would be out of the ordinary.
An inspiration came to me. More like it appeared on my computer screen: some of the virtues that inspire many of my writings.
What appeared on my computer screen (I think it could have been linked to an advertisement) was this symbol of FAITH, HOPE, LOVE; in a form of a tattoo. These three words resonate in me with much of the way I believe what life is about.
Me, another tattoo? I just had one “micro-hammer drilled(?)” to my hand not too long ago. The needle-pricking sensation of a thousand times per minute (I think) is still fresh in my memory.
So, yeah…why not another tattoo? I texted my daughter to find out what she thought of the idea; whether she’d want to get another one too. I sought the opinion of my wife, Jeannie; too. They both said, “go for it”. I did.
It was over / done faster that I could say “supercalifragilisticexpialidocious”
I liked the symbol, but (not “however”) I wanted more finesse to the actual symbol I first saw. I searched on the net for something with cleaner, more defined lines and with a bit of colour to give it depth. This was what I chose.
This symbol or picture had very clear lines and the red colour in the heart shape, gave it depth.
I contacted the guy, Soon; who “inscribed” my first tattoo and made the appointment with him.
A breakthough in technology: The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra’s S-Pen stylus doubles up as a tattoo inscription device / needle. Soon, as he puts or needles in the final touches to my tattoo.
Saturday, 1.30pm. Soon printed the picture in three different sizes for me to choose from. I chose the size, Soon got the stencil done, placed it on my hand and started working at the tattoo. In the meantime, I started working on a draft for an upcoming article.
I did not realize how fast time had flown. I thought that Soon had only done the basic outline. he said it was completed. “Hey, this is fun”, I said. “I should do this more often”.😉😁
Now, I must walk with a kind of swagger. How else can I show off my newly acquired art piece? I had to put in some practice to walk swaggerly (not sure if this word exists). If you see me walk in an unusual way, it’s called, “doing the swagger”.
Me, practicing my “swagger” walk.
Life is about living it to the fullest. One of the best ways (if not, the only way) of doing that is to bring joy to others in your own special way.
This article is in remembrance of Alice, who passed away this morning. I only met her quite recently, while walking my daily 10km walks. She would always be sweeping the grounds outside her house, keeping them clean. FAITH, LOVE, HOPE – I believed she had these in her. She never failed to greet me with a smile.
Today is International Women’s Day. When you hear the word, “woman”, it will become confusing…for most…men (said in a whisper!), and women. Just the word “woman”, a simple 5-letter word; is not as simple as it seems. W-o-m-a-n the plural is as pronounced: wooman, woomen, veman, and the real toughie: “women” that is pronounced wee-men, spelt as it sounds. In Malaysia, the dynamics of the English language is stretched to its thinnest, taking it to the farthest corners of the boundaries before it becomes another language. The language is highly elastic, that’s what I think. Guess what? Who are we to say which pronunciation is right or wrong? Just enjoy the many shades or variety of sounds of each word. Another example is the word “their”. Should I go further?
I won’t go into the intrinsic of International Women’s day or delve into the importance of it as I have not researched on it and I am sure there will be much to be covered, if I do. However, I will share a little of the importance and how it resonates in my life.
All game for Chinese New Year celebrations: Jeannie, my wife, the Batik Influencer; and I, Alan, the Hatted Writer.
The two women that are pivotal in my everyday life are my wife, Jeannie: and my daughter, Laura. They create a zillion shades of colour in life that no two days are the same. On weekdays, we go our separate work ways. In the evenings, when we meet after work (though in reality, work never ends as we continue with after work, work.), we, share how are our day went. I have learnt to say less so that I can absorb more of the experiences of Jeannie and Laura. It is like appreciating the finer strokes of the paint brush done in a painting on canvas.
Here, Jeannie and I, with our daughter; Laura
Another person who had an impact (and still does in certain ways) in my life was my late sister, Jennifer. In the last years of her life, she preferred being call, “Jen”. My mum and dad also called her “Jen”. I still referred to her by her full name. Maybe, there’s a reason behind it.
Jennifer is a year 4 days older than me; her birthday is July 6th and mine is on July 10th. Shared birthdays in our early years. That is about as common as we got. Oh ya, we also shared the same surname. Other than that, we were poles apart especially in our thinking. We never really fought except on trivial matters, again in our early days. As we grew older, we became much closer, as with our siblings, too.
When she was diagnosed with cancer, she was one helluva brave woman. She decided that she wanted to live the rest of her life on her terms. She decided that she wanted to do all the things and experience all the experiences that would have otherwise be hampered by spending time in hospital with chemotherapy and radiation treatment. She decided that she wanted to live life to the fullest. SHE DID! In a few days, it will mark her 5th anniversary. Her message to women, in fact to all: Live life to the fullest.
My late sister, Jennifer or “Jen” as she was known by many.
I think Jennifer got much of her living skills from mum. Mum and dad have never stopped being mum and dad. They always fuss over us. Mum has always been the gentle one. So, I guess now you know where we, my siblings and I; got our stubborn ways from.😁😅😂
Christmas 2023:My mum, seated in the centre, surrounded by our whole family – The Atkinsons
I take this opportunity to wish all women the world over, “Happy International Women’s Day”.
Friday evening. The last weekend of February, 2024. Chap Goh Meh eve. Celebrations are on the way for many who celebrate the lunar new year celebrations, the last two days of it. More fireworks are expected to light and decorate the skyline tonight and tomorrow night.
In the meantime, the Batik Influencer has come up with some of her latest offerings, 5 of them at the beginning; However, before I could type “Jack Robinson” (and I type pretty fast; even faster still on my Logitech MX Mechanical linear (1), but not as fast as a bullet train…yet); two pieces were sold. She is working on more because we just confirmed that we will be running a booth at Amcorp Shopping Mall this weekend.
The Batik Influencer has come out with her latest creations. These are some of her newest creations and will be available at our booth this weekend.
There are a lot of ladies clothes accessories like brooches, bracelets and other items that are that are available on sale for those who want to add the bling to one or more of the Batik Cape Creations.
Like always, we; meaning the Batik Influencer, Jeannie; and I, Alan, the Hatted Writer; are excited to be at our booth where we will be able to meet all our friends and make new friends. It gives me the opportunity to meet with readers of leatherpotato, too. I hope to learn and get more input for my book that I am writing. You will be able to spot us easily. Jeannie, the Batik Influencer will be modelling one of her creations. I will be wearing my grey / white panama hat, with a red and black band just above the rim. It will be just dandy if everyone wears a hat over the weekend.
While I am creating this article and the Batik Influencer is miraculously coming up with more choices of her Batik Cape Creations under her own label, “Jeannie’s Own”, we are listening to some music. Right now, a vibrant song, “Nona Nona Zaman Sekarang” is on. This is the version sung by the super awesome Liyana Fizi. The music arrangement with acoustic guitar, base guitar and brushes on a snare drum, is superb. I have done a bit of research and found out that Liyana is based in Selangor. Hopefully in the very near future, I will be able to contact her, have coffee and perhaps do a write up on her.
On our way to Amcorp; we will stop at New Apollos and buy Nescafe ice kaw kaw. We will get the drink servers to fill our Hydraflasks with the Nescafe ice kaw kaw (2). Hydraflask does an excellent job in keeping it cold (or hot if you have a hot beverage in it) for many hours. We are expecting some sellers to offer a wide choice of snacks, cookies, cakes and sweets since it will be Chap Goh Mei. The meaning of ‘Chap Goh Mei is “the 15th day of the new year” which marks the 15th and last day of the Chinese New Year celebrations. (3)
We look forward to meeting with you all. We are gonna have fun. See you there.
1st Floor, Amcorp Shopping Mall, Booth 1.16, Level 1 Amcorp Shopping Mall, 8, Jalan, Persiaran Barat, Seksyen 52 Petaling Jaya, 46050 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia Date: Feb 24 and Feb 25, 2024 Time: 10.00am to 5.30pm (can be extended to 7.00pm)
NOTES: 1. Logitech Mx Mechanical Linear keyboard comes with the red switches which is the quietest amongst the other variants of blue and brown (the most popular being the red) for its accuracy and performance. 2. Kaw Kaw means thick or extra strong. 3. This auspicious day is also known as the Chinese Valentine’s Day. Traditionally, young single women write their names and phone numbers on mandarin oranges before throwing them into ponds or lakes, in hopes of finding a boyfriend or husband. Hopefully, they use permanent ink pens so that the water will not wash off the written information.😅
For as long as I can remember, the Batik Influencer kept turning on her charm to influence me to take her to the beach. And always, there was something that always seemed to clash with the dates we wanted to go; which weren’t many.
Then, Laura went to Port Dickson (P. D.) (1) with her friend for a wedding. And stayed for the night. And went to the beach the next morning. And spent some time there.
That set Jeannie’s sights to go the very next weekend, which is this weekend, the Chinese New Year hols. Laura booked us in last Tuesday….or was it Wednesday? Anyway, we were set.
Our Sunday itenary was to go for the 8.30am mass at St. Thomas More Church, then go for breakfast somewhere nearby and start our journey to P. D. at 11.00am.
Sunday (that is today), came. We went for the 8.30am. mass at St. Thomas More church. Check☑️I found mass quite entertaining… the Music Ministry…let’s just leave it at that.
We passed by a couple of Indian restaurants with the hope of having roti canai for breakfast. They were closed. On the second day of Chinese New Year! Can you beat that? One would think that they would capitalislze on all the Chinese coffee shops, kopitiams and restaurants that are closed because of the lunar holidays.
Then, we heard bagpipes being played in the distant background…no, our car is Japanese, not Scots. And the bagpipes…imaginary, as we decided on McD’s – reliable for being open everyday.
Jeannie had a “hash brown wrap”, something new to me,
We had a quick breakfast… The Batik Influencer ordered a “hash brown wrap” and iced coffee and I; a sausage with egg McMuffin and iced coffee. It was a quick breakfast. I wanted to go back home for a short rest before going on the fairly long drive. We anticipated that we were going to have more than our fair share of the blazing sun. To give some perspective, P. D. is closer to the earth’s equator than Subang Jaya (2). Hence, it definitely was going to be much hotter in weather temperature.
We started our journey at noon. As we got on the Seremban (3) highway intersection from the highway route that we got on from the Toll plaza, we got (3 “got” [s] ) smack into the usual jam at Nilai. It seems perpetual as any time of the day is a crawl. Got past that jam about half hour later and it was a breeze drive all the way for about 5 minutes.
Now, it was the Seremban traffic crawl heading down South, for as far as we could see. For those heading to Johore (4) and Singapore, you have my sympathy.
As we turned off to the P. D. highway, there were pockets of jams, all a few minutes each. Jeannie insisted we used Google maps and I said I knew the way. However, Google Maps showed the way that was shorter, at least on Google Maps itself. I decided to follow the electronic guide. We didn’t know what was in store for us next.
We followed the directions shown by Google Maps. It took us into one of the small Malay kampungs (villages in English). We went through some very narrow roads (more like dirt tracks) and very tight and bumpy turns. The map showed the sea was so close by.
I kept turning to look at the back seat to see if we picked up some chickens and goats. The movie, “SHADOWS IN THE SUN” was still very fresh on my mind where Welson Parrish drove and crashed the publisher’s car into a chicken coup.
We managed to get out of there without picking up any chickens or goats. If we had gone the way I knew, we could have avoided this “scenic” route.
Quite a long check-in line. We got our room pretty quick. Welcome to Corus. In a scarecrow straw hat, caught me at work.
The Batik Influencer said, at least now, I had a story to tell. Possible title, “HATTED WRITER’ S FEATHER IN THE HAT”.
A view from our room.
We’ve checked into our room. I chose to pen this down, while Jeannie does some office work. We’re waiting for the sun to go to the other side of the equator, at least a little bit, when the temperature outdoors will be cooler before venturing to the outdoors, itself; feeling the white sand and the wet sands of the beach, soaking in (that should be from the wetness of the seas of the Straits of Malacca) the many colours and hues of the sky, the sun and the many sounds of humans, enjoying the simple pleasures of life – playing on the beach and in the seas.
In the meantime, let’s make light and easy plans for galavnating around P. D..
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This article would have been published earlier on in the evening, if not for it getting lost somewhere in the back office. I was going to launch it at the same time as the one just before this that was published. I had to seek my daughter, Laura’s help; to try and recover the article.
There must have been a clash of two articles because this which I wanted to publish as I had already seen the final draft, was launched at the same time as the previous article which meant both articles would have been published.
Long story short; I managed to retrieve it from another sector, had to modify it slightly and re-add the pictures in
NOTES:
1. P. D. (Port Dickson) /is a seaside town, located in the state of Negeri Sembilan.
2. Subang Jaya is a city in the state of Selangor, Malaysia.
3. Seremban is a city in the southern state of Negri Sembilan, Malaysia.
